THE CRUSADES
by Cyberpunk2909
Summary: This is a little story I thought up after s4--it's a romance btwn Pride and Ebony. Summary inside!!!!


My Pride and Ebony fic!!!!!!!!  
  
I know it's an odd combo-nation and fans of Pride and Ebony are going to lynch me, but i just had to write a story about my two favorite characters (including MAY!!!) from the show. It deals with a blossoming romance, between the two stubborn characters, and since I'm such a fan of myths in general, there might be some of that added in. So, here goes nothing.  
  
Time from: During Technos invasion  
  
(author's final note, a question to the fans: What if the Technos plans had not been peaceful? What if their true intentions had been tyranny and oppre- ssion? What if the character you've come to love( Jay, VED, Siva, etc) were really heartless, cruel... destructive? And what if two of the most unlikely characters were to fall-in-love?)  
  
THE CRUSADE By WITCHS_BABY  
  
The sound of thundering explosions and distant firecrackers jogged her out of her fitful sleep, as Ebony woke in the middle of the night. Her heart raced and her stomach cramped with anxiety and fear. She winced as she moved from the bed to the window in her room the mallrats had given her weeks before. She pulled back the shades.  
Over the distant skyline she saw the plane, that circling metal bird of prey, its iron wings raking the air, signalling the end of her almost rule. She'd tasted victory for one moment and the taste had been sweet, the feeling of power rushing through her bones and marrow, the realization that she had the control over life and death for the inhabitants of the city....all gone. Curse that strange Tribe and its hightech weapons. When she'd first come in contact with their blonde subleader, and the younger one who'd attacked Lex, she'd realized how unnerved and inadequate their Tribal lives had been. In one day, a Tribe of maybe 100 to 200 hundred kids had swarmed in like locusts and stolen her power. Her rightfully earned power!!!!  
Ebony swung a fist in the darkness and struck something hard. Pain raced up her arm and shocked her brain with full awareness. She stifled a cry of pained shock, kneeling to the floor and cradled her arm. No one must hear or see her weakness. She was leader of this city-she was leader, dammit! Ebony bit her lip and stood shakily as the plane flew over. She looked up in the darkness, looked up and for once in her life wished that the adults had stayed.  
  
*****  
  
He couldn't sleep, and much to his displeasure his dreams were plagued with guilt and grotesque images of Amber and May...Amber and May. Each were distorted, each were blood filled, each were violent and he felt guilty. Not because they were gone, but because he had no way of finding them. There was a difference. So, Pride'd waken from those tumultous dreams and went down to the mall's back kitchen. Strange, he mused on his way there, that there was more than one kitchen, seeings as to how the whole mall had once had a bustling food court. That he chuckled at, but stopped when he heard the smallest sound coming from the room he was about to head into. Was that a sob? Yes! There went again! A sob?  
Pride crept around the corner quietly, thinking that perhaps it was little Chloe, and that maybe the girl needed some reassurance. He'd hardly expected to see Her standing there, hand poised hesitantly over the sink, blood trickling down her arm from a cut at her palm. And on her cheeks, small riverlets of tears.  
Ebony? Pride had been ready to speak her name, but how would the Tribal leader react to his presence and at seeing her in such a weak state. But then he looked at that nasty cut on her palm and thought better of his silence. She was just crying from the wound...nothing more. And even if it were just Ebony, he still would have to help her. He stepped out of the shadows and said,"Need any help?"  
Her body recoiled at his voice and she flinched away. He frowned that was uncharacteristic- She whirled on him and glared icy, cold daggers. Pride immediately got on the offensive. He wasn't going to argue with her, not tonight. He was too damn tired. She watched him like a wary cat as he picked up the fallen cloth she was using to cover her wound.  
"Let me help, Ebony."  
Her eyes were trained on his every movement as she nodded her consent and he moved to wrap the bandage more expertly than her one handed attempt. "How'd this happen, if you don't mind me asking?" he ventured as he made the final tie of the bandage tight. He met her dark stare as she managed," Plane woke me up, that's all." And suddenly, speak of the devil, it roared overhead. Ebony and Pride looked up, both fearful, and although enemies, felt comfort from the other's presence. As the plane roared away their gaze met again...  
Ebony turned away, and oddly, at the bottom of his gut, Pride missed the sudden vulnerability in her eyes. And at that moment his mind warned him, Ebony has many ploys, Pride. And she's as vile as a snake. Worse, even.  
"IF that's all, Pride,"Ebony suddenly snapped in her typical way. His look became cold. "Of course."  
She nodded and took her leave. Pride watched her go wondering fleetingly how any power in the universe would let such a hell bedamned child exist..........  
  
chptr 2, part 1  
  
He was unnerved by the fact that Ebony'd called a meeting so early. She might as well've accepted the facts: Her dreams of conquering the city were dead, her followers few, and he...he was sick of her bossing ungratefulness anyway. Pride yawned as he stood behind Chloe and Salene, Salene's two new "friends" upstairs asleep. Lex stood off to the side his face, a cross between brooding and annoyance. Jack sat by Ellie and the two weren't talking. Once again. They'd done that for the past three days, since the new Tribe invaded.  
  
"What we need to do," Ebony said loudly jarring them awake,"is figure out a way to find their weakness. Find it and exploit it. If we don't they'll win this city easy."  
  
"There's no fight left, Ebony," Pride snapped. He met her glare for glare."Those kids out there are scared, they just don't want another war like with the Chosen. I say, we split and try to look for Amber and Trudy. I left Trudy and Brady so they could go look for Amber. Or is she too much of a liability for your rulership?" His tone was bitter as he thought of Amber, his Eagle. Was she alright? And the baby, was it alright too?  
  
"Maybe we shouldn't be worried about them," Lex snapped, suddenly becoming animated." Dammit! They're safe! Tai-san is out there, with a...a HAREM!!!!"  
  
"See? Lex is right,"Ebony said defending him adamantly."He's the only one thinking with sense around here! Now, what about the rest of you?!"  
  
"Why should we believe you, Ebony?" Pride asked icily. "You'd probably sell us out to the highest bidder just to save you're own skin."  
  
"I'm trying to keep this city together, Pride,"she retorted angrily. "I'm trying to keep these Tribes from turning on us-"  
  
"You're a liar!" he raged. A brief glimpse of Amer and Bray being banished from the city flashed hotly through his mind. His features almost became a snarl.  
  
"Like you're any better!" She raged back. He saw the hot anger in her eyes, the defiance of her jaw. The Ebony he saw before him was strangely heightened by his anger. He saw how exotic she really was: even skin, catish eyes, full lips.  
  
"I am better," he replied coldly. She smirked and that unnerved him even more than her rage had.  
  
"Poor baby, have I got you all wrong?" she taunted her fists clenching and uncleching.  
  
"Look, let's just get some rest," Salene suggested in her motherly way. "We can come back and reconvene in an hour...when our tempers are level."  
  
"Good idea," Chloe replied speaking up to get out of there. Lex stormed out muttering to himself, Salene stood and followed, Chloe in tow. Jack and Ellie walked out still not speaking. Pride went for the door, but was stopped by Ebony's small form blocking his path. She'd better not want a confrontation now, because he'd be happy to oblige.  
  
Her glare was cool and noncommiting. She breathed once twice, then said levelly, "Don't ever undermind my authority again, okay, Pride?"  
  
But before he could retaliate with his own remark, the former leader of the Locos walked defiantly away. ***  
"What do you expect from her, Pride?" Salene asked as he paced the expanse of her bedroom. It smelled faintly of lavender and lilac, and he paused in his angry gait to smell the sweet fragrance. Maybe it could calm the rage of his thoughts. The plane roared over head, an ever present reminder of the fact that the Technos were seiging the city.  
May's face flashed before his eyes: her tears, her gentle smile, the way she looked when she pouted. He remembered the softness of her hands, her graceful neck, the sound of her voice when she laughed. And it pained him. Where could she be right now? And was she alright...if she was even alive? His body gave a slight shudder as he turned back to Salene's expectant expression.  
"I expect compassion, Salene," he informed her. "I expect her to realize that her city is lost and that now we should be focusing our energies on the people we can save. Namely, Amber and Bray and that baby. We don't even know if Trudy found them."  
"Maybe you're right,"Salene conceded," but what about the other Mallrats? What if they're fighting to get back here and we just give up on them? Do you think that's fair? And what about May? She's counting on you."  
"I know," he said and turned away, hiding the pain suddenly washing over his face. "I know."  
He sighed. All of it; the desicions, survival, life; it was just becoming too hard. He was being pushed to the edge of his limits, probably even beyond that. All he wanted to do was laid down and imagine his precious Tribe, so faraway in the countryside. Everything'd been so simple then. There'd been no talk of war, no hatred, just kids banding together for one common belief: To survive. To not make the same mistakes the adults had.  
"Pride," Salene called over his shoulder. He turned back to see the concern on her face. He smiled slightly, for her benefit.  
"I'm fine," he said gently. "Why don't you go and check on those new Mallrats, eh? They're probably hungry."  
"Alright." Salene smiled, stood and went off to see to the others. Pride watched her leave, then dawned on his coat. The atmosphere had suddenly become insufferable. He needed some air. ***  
Ebony watched Lex as he moved from one end of her room to the other. His face was a mask of explosive anger as he breathed, like a temperamental ram.  
"We'll get her back," Ebony said placidly trying to keep the city's only sheriff in check. If she lost Lex's support then everything she worked for could buckle and her plans would be useless. He whirled on her and said through clenched teeth," How do you know that? Are you going to physically go to their base and get her, because if not-"  
"Lex," she cut in,"All they're using is scare tactics! They have no idea the power we really have. Are you going to let them turn the once proud sheriff of the city into a whining baby?"  
He looked indignant at that. "No."  
She smirked and purred," Then go and take Pride to scout their defenses. There's got to be something that makes them weak."  
Lex breathed evenly and stared at her, hesitating. He looked about ready to say something else, but instead turned on his heel and left. Ebony gave a sigh of relief. If she had to keep this up any longer, babying these mallrats, then she'd-  
Ebony banished that thought quickly as Pride's words rang suddenly in her mind : "Why should we believe you, Ebony?" Pride asked icily. "You'd probably sell us out to the highest bidder just to save you're own skin."  
His words had hit home, striking a nerve. A raw one. Ebony gritted her teeth. No, she would not leave the Mallrats, she would not abandon them. Because she'd die before she admitted to that damn ecos-warrior being right. She could almost picture him standing with everyone else in the mall's meeting room, shaking his head," Told you she'd do it. Didn't I?"  
  
She wouldn't give him that satisfaction. And besides, who knew, everthing might turn out well any way.  
"Pride's gone!!" Lex exclaimed bursting in. Ebony's head snapped to his direction. She frowned. Had she heard him right?  
"What?"  
"Pride's gone,"Lex repeated. His face was near hysterical. "At a time like this he decides to leave!"  
Ebony shot up from her seat and shouted," Get everyone together! When I find him, he's got hell to pay!"  
"Can't believe-"  
"Didn't you hear me, Lex?" She snapped as he stood there fuming. "Get everyone together. We'll look for him."  
Lex, begrudingly, complied. Ebony grabbed her coat and put it on. Oh yeah, when she found that Ecos-warrior, she'd make mince meat out of him. And what had that thought been: everything was going to turn out okay? Yeah....right. *****  
Pride stayed within the shadows of a building's overhang watching as the strange guards of the Technos rounded up Tribe after Tribe of children defenseless to their power.  
"Commander Jay, we've got half of these Virts rounded up," said one of the Technos speaking into his headpiece communicator. Pride vaguely picked another voice on the other end. The Technos guard nodded and continued with his job.  
Pride shook his head and wondered why these people would attack the city. Why they would round up innocent children? He watched as one girl faltered in her step and stumbled, skinning her knees on the ground. He winced.  
"Get up, you virt!" one of the guards shouted and kicked her violently in the ribs. The girl wailed.  
"Get up," the guard shouted and kicked her ever more violently. Pride bit his lip. He couldn't help them. He couldn't help them. Damn those Technos! They were destroying his home, his place of refuge, despite its many problems. How could he stand by and watch?  
"Hey you!" came a voice behind him. Pride turned and was confronted with five Technos guards. His stance became offensive as one of them raised their arm and shot a red beam from their strange weapon. He tried to dodge, but too late! It hit him square in the chest. He gave a cry of pain as a ringing reverbrated painfully in his ears. He clutched them to try to get it to stop. Then the guards attacked. ***  
Ebony and the gang searched the blocks around the mall for their lost ecos-warrior, finding no trace of him any where. Slowly, very slowly, she began to panick. What would happen to the Mallrats if she lost him? Surely her leadership abilities would be questioned, her power usurped. No, they had to find him. They had to.  
"Chloe," she called as they rounded yet another corner with no sign of Pride. She came forward, her arms crossed.  
"Yes, Ebony," the loathing was apparent in her tone, but Ebony couldn't deal with that now.  
"Go find Dee," she ordered hastily. "Tell the Mozzies we need their help."  
To that order everyone protested. Ebony rolled her eyes and whirled on them. "What now?!"  
"Chloe could get captured!!" Salene protested. "It's too dangerous."  
"Salene's right," Jack voiced. "Personally, I think we need to just go home. They're too powerful."  
Ebony's look was that of complete shock. Were the Mall rats complete pessimistists? How many peptalks did they need in one day?!  
"Listen to me," Ebony implored them. "Look, we have to find Pride-" she begrudgingly hated to admit it-"because if those Technos want to take this city they're gonig to have to fight for it. Without Pride, we don't have a defensive." She turned to Chloe. "Go find Dee."  
Chloe looked at her doubtfully. She looked to Salene, who gave her a slow nod. She ran off as fast as her preteen legs could carry her. Ebony rolled her eyes and continued on. Soon, when those Technos were gone, she'd make sure that no one underminded her authority again.  
  
They continued down the block, silent, a wind sweeping across the city, stirring the trees that lined the broken walks and stirred the scraps of old news paper.  
  
The sound reached Ebony's ears first. A distant cry of pain and muffled voices of struggling. She hurried on, the other Mall rats following. They rounded a corner and were confronted with a vision of Pride, beaten and fighting, Technos guards swarming like locusts to take him down.  
Ebony turned to everyone else. "Alright! Let's go and help him! The Mozzies'll be here soon. " With that said, she gave a mighty cry and everyone attacked. ***  
Vaguely, Pride heard the voice of Ebony. But then, maybe that was just his imagination. He kicked a guard in his shin and punched another in his jaw. The two fell back, but the three others charged forward.  
"Get them!!" Was that Ebony's voice again? Was she really here? Pride's eyes opened depsite their swelling from a punch he'd recieved. There! She launched herself at one of the Technos, her punches and kicks, timed, accurate. Pride would've voiced his gratitude if his head weren't still ringing. He swung and hit a Technos square in the face, but somehow there seemed to be another and another and another taking his place. Was it his imagination or were there actually more of them? He swung, but met air. He felt a rush of air, then a sharp pain rush up his spine and down agian. He went sprawling to the ground.  
"Stop them!!"  
He vaguely heard a Technos voice as he blacked out from the pain. **** There was too many of them! Ebony kicked, punched, but every time one fell another took his place. Two came at her and all she could do was fall back and try to distract one by distracting the other. Her plan worked and both fell after her fists connected with their faces. She wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer. Soon or later one side would have to give-  
  
"HEY YOU GUYS!!!!!!" came the battle cry and the Mozzies rained down upon the Technos with their weapons and anger. Dee was at the head of them. And in no time, the Technos were driven back.  
"Yeah!" Ebony shouted, kicking one of them in the rear as he scrambled away. " This is our City! And if you want it, you're gonna have to fight for it." Everyone cheered. "This is the first battle fought and won by the Mall rats!"  
She turned, but was confronted by a horrible sight: Pride, bloodied, bruised, a decrepid mockery of what he once was. Ebony rushed to his side and checked his pulse. He was alive. She looked up, the concern evident on her face. "Let's get him back to the Mall."  
  
**** chptr 3, part 1  
  
He wasn't sure if the plush pillows or the wet cloth on his forehead were real. All he could see--no, feel--was the slow headache creeping up from his tense back muscles, and a bright light, like the brilliance of a thousand suns beating down on him, entirely to sunny, making his eyes water. Pride groaned and tried to sit up. A hand pushed him down by his shoulders. He didn't resist. He didn't feel like it.  
  
All he wanted to do was rest. Rest, yeah, that was it. Rest. Let the other Ecos do some work for the day. He was sick of having to tell the younger ones time and time again: Never tempt a wild animal. They attacked. They always attacked because they were more afraid of you, then you really were of them.  
  
And it had to have been a wild animal that made his head ring so badly, and his face. There was swelling...and that was a bruise at his cheek, wasn't it? And why the hell couldn't he feel his jaw move? It felt slack and numb.  
  
"Pride, can you tell me where you are?"  
  
There was that damn bright light again, and who was that voice coming from? That certainly didn't sound like any one he'd heard in his Tribe. It certainly didn't sound like Eagle. Eagle...Amber.... Amber....May.....May.....Mallrats......Technos...Battle........... EBONY?!  
  
Pride shot up from his bed and regretted the sudden action worse than ever. A flash of colorful obscenities issued forth from his swollen lips and slumped back down into his pillows, his headache reeking bloody vengeance on his neck and mind.  
  
"Thought you'd bet the message not to move," came that silky retort. Ebony.....Ebony....and what the hell was she doing here by the way? Where in bloody hell's name was Salene?  
  
"Salene," he said, eyes still closed, not daring to open them and get assaulted by the bright light again. There wasn't a reply for a short legnth and Pride was sure that somehow--in someway--a random act of evil had been blamed on him in the cosmos and he'd--in some remarkable way-- hadn't redeemed himself properly and he wsa now at the entrance of Hell, ready to be tossed in.  
  
"She's sleeping," said Ebony's reply. Pride nodded winced and felt the cool cloth at his forehead again. This time he cautiously opened his eyes, and when the bright light cleared--no black dots left to mar his vision--he saw that he was in his room, Ebony seated beside him. There was a silver bowl of water beside her, condensation clouding up around it.  
  
"How long?" he asked and Ebony looked at him for a moment in what he'd thought was disgust. Then answered," A good day or two."  
  
"That almost got Pride leaping up again, but as he was in no fit state to resist Ebony's force push, he was made to lay back down. He winced again, the headache lacing down his spine.  
  
"What's wrong?" But Ebony sounded as if she'd wanted to be anywhere at that moment than playing nursemaid to Pride. At first he considered not saying anything and letting the silence between them lengthen until she left him alone. Bu then," M'back. M'neck... headache."  
  
She understood and quickly moved the silver bowl a way. She put the cloth down and said,"I'll need your help."  
  
"Why?" he asked suspiciously. She glared at him.  
  
"To flip you over," she said as if it were a common known fact. He laid still not making any move, and when she finally gave an exasperated sigh, did he finally decide: fine. She won't try anything tricky in the presence of the mall. Nor with all the Mallrats about.  
  
Of course, Pride never put anything past a sleeping serpent. They had a habit of uncoiling at the last minute. And striking.  
  
He, with her help, turned over. Pride waited, holding his breath. Waited for a stab of a hidden knife. Waited for the strangle hold of a wire choking off his air supply. What he eventually did feel caused him to go into momentary shock.  
  
Her hands.....Her hands....And, God did they feel goooooooood. Pride felt his tense muscles relax as she kneaded them. Felt a thousand years of stress build-up, pain, anger melt at the magick of those hands. How in all hells did she learn to get so good? His headache was fading now.  
  
"Feel better?" she asked still working her skill. Pride nodded, closed his eyes and stifled back a moan. This was too good. How could someone so heartless and cruel have such wonderful hands? This time, Pride let his moan be known.  
  
"Good," was Ebony's amused reply and they lapsed into silence. She continued her work unerringly, smoothing down the skin of his back, kneading into his spine, easing the tension. Then she worked her way back up to his shoulders. The headache was almost gone, and the distant hum of ringing was temporary silenced.  
  
Suddenly, Pride's mind prompted him to ask a question, pne that had been burning him since he'd first been introduced to Ebony. "How did it all end? For you, I mean? What happened?"  
  
The hands froze for a moment, and Pride's eyes flew open. "I wasn't trying to be offending....Eb-Ebony." And why he wasn't trying to, was beyond him. Wasn't it, before those hands set to work, that he was willing to kick her out of the city, out of everyone's lives, just to get back Amber? To get back May and Trudy and Bray and Brady?  
  
"No," came the voice of the Locos queen, and those hands set back to work. Pride refused to close his eyes, lest she suddenly stop again. "I ju-just don't like to talk about it, that's all."  
  
Had Ebony's voice actually faltered? Not willing to push any luck the fates were giving him with a cooler, calmer Ebony. Pride lapsed into another silence. Which lengthened, and then was broken by another question:"How do you know Bray?"  
  
"By the virus," she said it as if it were old news, washed up on some 1950s shore."Long before your time." He could almost hear the "young fella" at the end of the sentence. Another question her wanted to ask, but stopped himself before he could (sure it would cause those skilled hands of a massaging goddess to stop) was:" What made Bray give up on you?"  
  
There had to be something human left inside of her, right? But before he was relaxed enough to answer those questions himself, or at least contemplate them thoroughly, he heard the distant call of Ebony's name. The hands stopped as she sighed and said,"I'm needed it seems. Tofu-boy, you-"  
  
But she was stopped when he, bare chested and still quite weak, whirled in the bed, sitting up on his elbows, had grabbed her hand and asked--could hear the tremor in his voice--"Will you come back?"  
  
Her only answer was an amused grin. He released her as he leather clad figure left him in the safety of his room. And as she did so, the headache returned fullforce. He thought he should've been grateful, at least he didn't have to think why in all hells he invited Ebony back into his room.  
  
**** "Ebony!!!"  
  
She had been close...Too close, and the offer had hung in the air...innocent. Dangling on its own innocent strings, like a puppet. But innocent or no....she'd been too close. Old wounds needed good tending, as her grandmother would say, to make sure they never opened again.....  
  
But the offer had stood and she came close, so close to telling him everything. And why? I must ask you: WHY?!  
  
Ebony waited outside of Pride's door, heard him fall back into his pillows with a groan and almost ached for him. His headache had come back swifter than she thought.  
  
"Ebony!!!!!"  
  
Ah yes....Salene....Got to figure out what to do with her. Ebony walked away from the ecos-warrior's room, steel mask on, revealing nothing. 


End file.
